Harriet's mom's pea soup

ham broth made from bone the day before
2 onions diced
2 c carrots diced
2 c celery diced
2 796ml 28 oz diced canned tomatoes
2 cups vegi soup mix (I use Bob's Red Mill but you can find others usually near the dry beans it is just lentils grains and pasta)
1 c lentils (if wanted for thicker soup)

make broth the night before from ham bone. cut off most of the meat and reserve for soup. Put the bone in large stock pot with 1 onion, 2 carrots 2 celery all roughly chopped and 2 bay leaves bring to boil then reduce to simmer for 4-6 hours. remove from heat and let cool at least 30 min strain out solids put broth into fridge to cool. when you go to make the soup the fat will have floated up to the top and is solid strain this off and you are ready to go. making soup is easy and there is not much active time. but you do have to remain in the house while the stock is simmering

bring broth with onions and tomatoes up to boil before add vegi soup and additional lentils mix turn down to simmer, simmer for 1 hour stirring occasionally ( You need the convective movement of broth to lift lentils to prevent them from sticking to bottom and burning otherwise you would have to stir constantly while the broth is heating)
add carrots and celery simmer for additional 30 min stirring occasionally

Serving Size: 12 2 cup servings

Number of Servings: 12

Recipe submitted by SparkPeople user LOOSELIPSH.